Dallas: The Complete Third Season, originally broadcast in the fall of 1979 through early 1980, surely represents one of the most raucous and tantalizing years in the life of any television series in history. Murder, banking fraud, kidnapping, adultery, alcoholism, cancer, vengeance, a miscarriage, extortion, bribery, and astounding levels of betrayal both in business and private lives are just part of the catalogue of sins that make season 3 particularly juicy. Actually, what makes the 25 episodes in this box set so much fun to watch is a viewer's gradual awareness that every crime committed, every ethical breach or personal tragedy is part of an overall design, reverberating in dozens of directions and affecting multiple relationships and numerous schemes. As enjoyable as each program is on its own terms, it's quite clear that by the 25th episode, "A House Divided," in which a major character receives a surprise-ending comeuppance, that all chickens were intended to come home to roost in the last show's very clever script.

A remarkable number of story threads found their way into season 3. Starting with a two-parter concerning the kidnapping of a newborn baby belonging to J.R. (Larry Hagman) and Sue Ellen Ewing (Linda Gray), problems just keep on sprouting like weeds. First, there's Sue Ellen's emotional deep-freeze and refusal to nurture her child as a healthy mom should, which in turn prompts the childless Pamela Ewing (Victoria Principal) to free her maternal instincts toward J.R.'s son, much to the chagrin of J.R.'s brother, Bobby (Patrick Duffy). Meanwhile, teenager Lucy (Charlene Tilton), abandoned daughter of missing Ewing son Gary (David Ackroyd), threatens to teach J.R.'s son, one day, to turn against the Ewing clan, inspiring J.R. to escalate plans to get rid of Lucy any way possible. (Gary, by the way, kicks into gear a famous Dallas spin-off by moving to Knots Landing, California.) Matriarch Miss Ellie (Barbara Bel Geddes) faces a mastectomy, making her worry that husband Jock (Jim Davis) will stop loving her, though he faces problems of his own when a skeleton found buried on Ewing property turns up near Jock's missing handgun. (Whoops.) Finally, J.R.'s almost Shakespearean manipulation of the sale of Asian oil fields to old family friends, just before those fields are nationalized, is brilliantly wicked stuff. His actions have enormous, grievous ramifications--not least of all for J.R. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

The Original Desperate Housewives...and Husbands!Well you just can't beat dallas for good old fashioned drama! If you watch desperate housewives these days you'll definitely enjoy Dallas. Basically a soap opera in prime time in it's day, I discovered it while trying to find something to watch when there's basically nothing on TV. No commercials obviously is a plus too with watching them on DVD. Lately, I've turned to alot of old TV shows on DVD that I was too young to watch growing up but make for good TV these days when all there is on is Un-reality TV!...more info

Dallas - The Complete Third SeasonQuick delivery of the product on the part of Amazon.com. The DVD was new packaged well. The series lived up to all of my expectations. Excellent DVD and would highly recommend this DVD series of Dallas....more info

"Dallas" #3: The Road to the ShotThis is the third season's worth of "Dallas," CBS' classic prime serial, from 1979-80 (actually, it's the second full season's worth, but Warner calls it #3 for DVD release). In this season, the drama is "kicked up a notch" (as Emeril Lagasse would say), with stories ranging from the kidnapping of the Ewings' newborn son, to Ellie's mastectomy, to J.R.'s mortgage of Southfork. Even brother Gary gets in on the action, in a special Thursday episode that sets up "Knots Landing," the long-running spinoff of "Dallas" that would run on Thursdays (although I'll say no more beyond that). Follow all of these stories through, as well as the others, and the dedicated viewer will eventually see where they lead-- like a long, dark tunnel, the light is at the end of that tunnel, in the form of the classic episode "A House Divided." In this one, the pieces of the puzzle finally fall into place. J.R. did so many bad things over the course of this season that someone (who it was, I cannot say; you'll have to see the first episodes of #4 to find that out) decides that he is too bad to live, and pumps two lead slugs into him while he is working late at night in his office. Again, we know why the deed is done, but over the summer and part of the fall, we'd have to wait to discover the perpetrator (because of an actors' strike that delayed the start of #4 until November). Even then, the mystery isn't solved until, I believe, episode 4 of #4.

This cliffhanger, and others like it, are what made "Dallas" one of the greats; the whole season is the road to the cliffhanger, and the cliffhanger leaves you practically hanging in suspense until the eventual resolution.

Now, onto the technical aspects. The video is generally pretty good, though it has a lot of film dust and specks in it, and the audio carries the stories across very well. The discs (4 doubles and 1 single) are packaged in a somewhat space-saving manner. Like the opening two-pack, the discs are in a digipak. The 4 doubles are stacked atop each other in overlapping trays, and the last disc, the single-sided disc that has the season finale, has a holder all its own on the right-hand side. The way that these discs are packaged (4 doubles on top of each other, and one single to the side) makes for a slimmer package than the opening two-pack, which had all 5 discs (all doubles) in a neat row. When the discs are removed, there is an image of the Dallas skyline under them. On the left-hand inside, there is a pocket that contains a fold-out pamphlet with episode listings, airdates, plots, and producer and director credits; the final episode is described on the back cover. The front image of this pamphlet sums up the major story of the season very well-- J.R., the victim of two gunshots to the chest, is laying on the floor of his office (though, like I said, we know why it was done, we had to wait until November of the following season to find out who did it).

As for bonuses, this season contains two. One is a documentary on the cliffhanger of J.R.'s shooting and what it meant to the series up to that point. A word of caution: If you're just coming into the series on DVD, I would recommend that you first see the episode that sets up the cliffhanger, and then the episodes of #4 that resolve the cliffhanger, then you can come back to the documentary if you want, see it, and then either continue with #4 or rewatch #3 (whichever). The reason why is because the documentary gives away the name of the perpetrator in J.R.'s shooting, and that would take all the fun out of discovering who shot him.

The other bonus is commentary on two episodes: "Sue Ellen's Choice" and "A House Divided," the latter being the episode that sets up the cliffhanger. These commentaries are delivered by Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray. As for languages and subtitles, there is only English audio, but there are subtitles in English, French, and Spanish. There are 6 chapter stops per episode-- one for the preview and opening titles, four for the body of the episode, and one more for closing credits. Because the first four discs are doubles, Warner Bros. has made it easy to tell which side you're on of which disc. If the side you're on has writing, that is side A; no writing, side B. This is better than double sets that have writing on both sides, thereby leading to confusion. One other thing is that the single-sider that has the cliffhanger setup episode has no labeling on it, and thus some people might mistake it for one of the doubles. The package is in somewhat of a teal-green color, probably representing the financial aspects of "Dallas" and the Ewings.

The menus are just like the opening two-pack, with the screen taking on the color of the package, a shot of the Ewing family on top, the "Dallas" title on the bottom-left, and the disc menu on the bottom right (with options for playing all episodes at once, choosing a random episode, and selecting languages and subtitles). There is one other thing that I did not like, and that is the fact that the disc menu always had an option for bonuses, despite the fact that the only bonuses are on the fourth and fifth discs. The miniseries opening theme plays in the background on the main menu screen only.

Overall, "Dallas" #3 is a well-made release from Warner Bros. of the third season's worth (actually, the second full season's worth) of one of television's classic serials, and comes highly recommended not only for content, but for presentation as well. ...more info

Who Shot JR?This DVD set was one to be had by all Dallas fans! It contained the most popular cliffhanger of all time....Who Killed JR? It could have been anyone who pulled the trigger, but I will let you see for yourself in Season 4. In this season, we see Sue Ellen being distant to her new baby for certain reasons. To take up the slack, Pam gives the baby the love it needs for now. We see more marital problems with JR/Sue Ellen. JR finds comfort with his sister-in-law, Kristin and Sue Ellen finds comfort in a new man, Dusty Farlow. Lucy decides to enter marriage to one of JR's cronies and then Lucy finds love in a college professor. I am not going to tell anymore, that is just some of what happens in Season 3. I know I am buying Season 4 and 5 to find out who shot JR? Enjoy!...more info

Dallas DVD 3rd SeasonThis was ordered as a christmas gift and it arrived in plenty of time. Appreciate the prompt shipment. The product was just as stated, excellent condition, never opened, usa dvd's of the 3rd season. Will keep seller in mind when ordering similar items....more info

DALLAS: SEASON 3 -THE ULTIMATE CLIFFHANGER!!!As this season begins, you can tell by the story lines unfolding that this season is going to be really special! Larry Hagman's JR is at his cunning best, with beautiful Mary Crosby turning in a fine performance as Sue Ellen's ambitious sister. By the end of this season's episodes, you would think that the cliffhanger would be all about Jock Ewing's involvement with the murder of a former ranch hand, and Cliff Barnes handling the case is extra icing on the cake! I discovered that this was going to be the season's cliffhanger, (while watching the documentary) but the network wanted more episodes for the year's season, due to the show's popularity and audience draw, for more commercial time to be bought. The producers and writers decided to build up the last few episodes to the shooting of the show's villain, JR Ewing! The dramatic performance of Barbara Belle Geddes in the "Mastectomy" part 1 & 2 episodes, the kidnapping of JR and Sue Ellen's baby, along with the final episodes building up to the night that JR gets shot, is prime time TV that is brilliantly done! I've just watched the first six episodes of "Dallas: Season 4," and it's got the same entertaining addiction that season's 1, 2, and 3 had! I'm ready for season five, or at least an announcement of a release date! "Dallas" is too good a series just to stop with season four!...more info

Great!Now I'm waiting for the other seasons!
Note that DVDs are not region 1 only, they are region 1,2,3,4
...more info

My favorite tv seriesI like the product beacuse dallas is my favorite tv serie and in these season is the most remeber for the fans of the dallas fenomenon because the clifganger of go shot J.R....more info

A must for every Dallas fanThis is it folks this is the season that ends with the infamous "Who shot J.R.?" mystery. This collection is a MUST for Dallas fans and fans of prime time soaps. The O.C. and Desprate Housewives ave nothing on this show. Now I am just waiting for Falcon Crest to come out on DVD. ...more info

A must have for true "Dallas" fans"Dallas"-the complete third season dvd, is great entertainment. Arguably, this is the best season out of the entire series. As a bonus,for "Knots Landing" fans, there is an episode that sets up that series. Actually, I enjoyed every episode from beginning to end. The picture and audio quality is more than satisfactory (in my opinion). The product (dvd) and the service (Amazon) was a pleasant experience....more info

Great Season of DallasI liked all of the episodes and liked the fact that comes with some "bonus" material, like special commentaries for the episodes and the special on "who shot JR?"
A lot of episodes in it, worth the money. Can't wait to buy the next season!

DallasI love these DVDs of Dallas! It's like watching them again for the very first time, and the quality of the DVD is 100% perfect! ...more info

TV to DVD perfection, and the show's finest momentsSeason 3 of 'Dallas' really had it all - tight, suspenseful writing, excellent actors, higher production values and a more general all-round sense of professionalism than before.

This DVD set is one of the finest examples of TV conversion that I own - the episodes are full, uncut and (for the most part) crystal-clear in audio-visual terms.

Reprising their roles as the Ewing clan, the main cast of characters is joined by a host of recurring extras - most notably Mary Crosby as evil Kristin, Joan Van Ark as wholesome Valeen and hot-as-hell Jared Martin as handsome Dusty Farlow. Also, for fans of camp, Joycelyn Brando (yes, Marlon's sister) can be seen here as JR Ewing III's nursemaid - she was also Barbara Bennett in camptastic movie 'Mommie Dearest'.

While there are more excellent moments in this season than can be put down in a single review, here are some particularly good points:

Barbara Bel Geddes: Although not as prolific in the first two seasons, Bel Geddes' Emmy was thoroughly deserved for her performance in Season 3 of 'Dallas'. Her 'Mastectomy' two-parter is every bit as powerful and relevant today as it was originally. She's a brilliant, brilliant actress and one without whom 'Dallas' certainly wouldn't have had the balance that it did.

Linda Grey: Breaking out of the mold of dutiful alcoholic, and not yet in the mold of adulterous alcoholic, Linda Grey's crescendo portrayal of a woman coming to terms with postpartum depression and a lousy husband is spellbinding. Another great actress breathing likable life into a thoroughly dislikable part.

Larry Hagman: Nobody does Evil better. Not even Joan Collins at her most Alexisesque could outshine the genius talent of Larry Hagman. How, tell me, do you take the character of JR Ewing and actually manage to generate sympathy in the audience? I don't know, but Hagman certainly does that.

The return of Gary Ewing (again!), the paternity of baby JR Ewing III, the Digger-Barnes feud, the Southeast Asia oil deals.... Season 3 grabs you by the shoulders and pulls you in, and doesn't let go until the final climactic cliffhanger. It's worth the ride, oh, so worth it - and you'll be amazed at how good 'Dallas' actually is. In terms of acting and writing, nothing today can touch it.

A word to the wise: If you buy this box set, buy it with Season 4. You'll HAVE to see the season cliffhanger resolution :-)...more info

Dallas Season Threegreat CD set...excellent formatting and info re espisodes..cd's are excelletn quality. Reccomend for all Dallas fans. Where is Season 4? Hope it will be coming soon!...more info

Out of synch audioI am a huge Dallas fan and love my dvds even though on the 1-3 seasons the audio is out of synch with the video. I mainly watch these when I am ironing so it does not bother me too much, but it would be nice if this issue was resolved....more info

DALLAS SEASON 4 ON JANUARY 24, 2006DALLAS Season 4 is to be released on DVD on 24 Janaury 2006. This is awesome news for DALLAS fans! It will also include as an extra the "Dallas: Return to Southfork" reunion which aired in November 2004.

A BIG thank you to Warner Home Video. Please keep these Dallas seasons coming quickly.

Now to my review of DALLAS Season 3. DALLAS is the best drama ever from the 80s, which is why it was number 1 in the Nielsens during most of its first seven seasons. I thoroughly recommend this DVD. You'll get hooked on this TV show, which, in my opinion, is better quality drama than today's primetime soaps.

After waiting frustratingly for ONE year for this season 3 DVD release, I am delighted that one of the best seasons of DALLAS is out on DVD. This was the season that put DALLAS on the map, so to speak, and turned it into a phenomenal worldwide success and made "J.R. Ewing" a household name. 300 million people around the world heard the shot in 1980 when the dastardly J.R. Ewing, with all his malice in Dallas, got his comeuppance in the season finale "A House Divided", which is ranked as one of the most watched episodes in TV history. DALLAS was that big!

In season 3 every episode is a classic and each has ingenious plots and storylines and are all well written. The actors do a fine job of portraying their characters convincingly. Jim Davis, aka Jock Ewing, has a strong on-screen presence which you don't often see in actors on other shows. And Bing Crosby's daughter, Mary Crosby, is great as Kristin who makes this season extra special!

DALLAS has 14 seasons and we DALLAS fans hope Warner will now be releasing the seasons much quicker on DVD. Thanks!

Dallas - The Three Seasons so far...I only really purchased the First/Second and Third Seasons of Dallas for me mum, we watched the series as it went to air for the first time here in Australia many years ago. TV1 about 5 years ago ran through the entire series at one stage but hasn't repeated it. Our local store had the First and Second Series combined and played without any problems but it has been 12 months and we still haven't seen the "Third Season" available here in Australia, so we've been forced to buy a copy from Amazon.com, many thanks to Amazon for a very speedy deliverly service all within six days! but as far as the Third Season is concerned, well, as far as I'm concerned, I can still get "sucked in" with the story lines one sees in Dallas, this copy of the Third Season on DVD plays exceptionlly well, and like I say I only bought for me mum to watch but you can't help sitting down and watching episode after episode, I hope the following season doesn't take long to become available...hurry up!...more info

Third season of DallasThe third season of Dallas had viewers all around the world posing the famous question "Who Shot JR?" by the cliffhanger in 1980. Indeed JR had done some despicable deeds this season to push those around him to such extremes. Viewers had to wait until that fall to find out who the assailant was. This season definately changed the face of Dallas the series. Before it held respectable ratings, this cliffhanger definately pushed it to the top for years to come. No cliffhanger though compared to this one.

It's not a great season just for the cliffhanger. The build up is what makes this watchable. Pamela and Bobby faced many problems in their marriage this season as Pamela found out that she had a neurodegenerative disease which could prevent her from having children. She also lost her father, and ultimately pushed Bobby away for these reasons. JR and Sue Ellen's volatile relationship took many turns as Sue Ellen started having an affair with Dusty and tried to distance herself from JR. Even Ellie and Jock faced problems in their marriage after Ellie found out that Jock had lied and had in fact been married before he wed her. Ellie also discovered she had breast cancer. Lucy fell in and out of love with Alan Beam, who JR had hired to take down Cliff Barnes. Ray also fell in love, with Donna.

Just a general overview, there were tons of great moments, lots of tears, and more. The third season of Dallas remains as one of the best in the show's 13 year history. ...more info

JR's Prime Time Dallas Season 3 has no shortage of backstabbing deals, illicit love affairs and melodrama. This was the season that cemented Dallas's spot in the ratings an caused countless millions to ask the question, "Who shot JR?" I enjoyed every episode of it from the first to the last. Some of the storylines were simply delicious and I spent many a night glued to my DVD player eagerly waiting to see what happens next. I think the best thing about these box sets is that we get it all; the entire season in one big viewing marathon and we don't have to wait till next week to see what happens . JR of course is the driving force and most of the storylines centre around him. I think the business subplots are the best and clearly show how far JR is willing to go to meet his ends. I have to say however unlike it's counterpart "Dynasty" in "Dallas" there are not that many strong women. I found most of the main female characters simply too weak. Sue Ellen tops the list with her constant victim mentality and "I can't live without a man" excuses. She truly comes across as completely pathetic. Her alcoholism just adds to her wretched
persona. At times you simply want to scream out, "Get a life woman!" Her coldness towards her son in the beginning of the season was almost too painful to watch and just shows how messed up this woman truly is. Next is Pam who maybe a working girl but ultimately results to tears and tantrums when things don't go her way. The storyline about the rare genetic disease that might kill her baby if she had one was okay but too drawn out. I simply could not believe she simply could not tell Bobby about it from the start. Miss Ellie comes across as more stronger then the previous two and she had one of the best storylines in this season. Unlike Pam or Sue Ellen she at least isn't afraid to lock horns with her Ewing man. Lucy at times seems nothing more then a sperm receptacle. I mean really; couldn't they have written some interesting sub plot for her? She simply jumps from one boyfriend to another and at the end remains single. She even doesn't know how to pick men all that well either. Her parents returning again was okay but it quickly grew boring. What exactly is wrong with Gary Ewing anyway? I think they should have made him gay in my opinion just like Stephen was in Dynasty. Can you imagine JR having to deal with a gay brother? He would have fed him to the sharks in no time. I have to say I found Allan Beame JR's underling quite interesting and for some reason quite sexy. I kept hoping that he had some dark secret to hide but it turned out to be just Betty Lu. Then there is Kristin; the conniving sex kitten who teams up with JR and even tries to best him at times. She was clearly one of the best female characters in the season. Ray the foreman really didn't have much to say or do in this season say for an affair with Donna Culver which truly evoked the viewer to suspend disbelief. I mean apart from a good roll in the hay what else could he offer such an accomplished woman? Finally as for Pam's brother; I never liked his character. He is just too creepy and weird and not at all attractive. What did Sue Ellen ever see in him? Overall, this was an exciting season with a grand finale at the end. Highly recommended and please bring out season 4 soon!...more info

Terrific!!!I absolutely adore Dallas and am so pleased that they are being released onto DVD's. I was not born when most of the series was shown, but watched reruns when I was a teenager. Now that I am an adult, I am really into it. I just wish that they would release them more rapidly. One season per year is not nearly enough....more info

Must See TV"Dallas," the complete third season, is the epitome of great television. I'm 21, so most of my tv-watching days were defined by situational comedies and shows with actual plots and scripts. Well, I was just taken-back by how great "Dallas" was as a show. This is definately a TV on DVD set that you need to own.

What's so great about "Dallas" is the plot. Yeah, the Ewings are involved in the oil industry, but there are a lot of other things going on. Sue Ellen deals with motherhood and her "desperate housewife" lifestyle. In season three, we watch her begin to emerge as JR's equal more than his subordinate wife. Marriage and relationships take center stage in season three as everyone faces some relationship issue; Jock and Miss Ellie have to get beyond their secrets; Bobby and Pam still have that newlywed hump to get over; JR has his affairs while Sue Ellen has her own set of problems and extra-marital interests. The list goes on from there.

I loved how every character had their own plot and time in the spotlight. Few shows these days manage to shine the spotlight on each and every character, even the supporting cast, and give the actors/actresses a chance to show off their talents. I was intrigued by Linda Gray's portrayal of Sue Ellen, while at times I could be moved by Barbara Bel Geddes' emotion-heavy Miss Ellie moments. You get the sense that this is a family; dysfunctional, but it's a real and accurate portrayal of a family that has to deal with a variety of subjects, including drinking, children, divorce and breat cancer. The only character that perhaps didn't get enough screen time was Lucy.

Season 3 is a must have, regardless. High quality writing, great plots, superb acting. Issues from seasons 1 and 2 are not forgotten as things are woven into the big picture. The finale of course was one of televsions greatest moments, a definate must see. As for other aspects of this release, I really didn't mind the packaging. I thought that a few more extras wouldn't have hurt but the one on "Who Shot J.R.," where Hagman, Gray, Duffy, Tilton and others do an interview was fun and informative. Most of the episodes looked great in their DVD format; there were only a few that looked really dated and at a slightly lower quality. Otherwise, in a rare situation, I'd definately give this five stars. A must for your collection and viewing....more info

Dallas on DVDThis is a must for any Dallas lover! We even watch it Friday nights, just like it was originally aired....more info

Wonderful Season - not so great packagingThe season is excellent - there's no question about that, particularly the Jock on Trial, Dove Hunt and of course the House Divided (Who shot JR?) episodes.

As with the previous box set, there aren't a lot of extras, but that's probably because the show is 20 years old and there's not much footage available. There are a few comentaries and a "Who shot JR: A Dallas Phenomenon " Documentary on the last disc.

The only major problem I had with this box set (which stoped me from giving it 5 stars) is the DVD Packaging. The way they have packaged the DVD's caused damage to a couple of episodes (they've laid one DVD ontop of another, causing the bottom one to scratch). I'd be watching a scene and then it would suddenly skip to the next scene, most of the time mid sentence! It was annoying at times.

LOVE IT !Almost half way through watching this already! I love it and I can't wait to purchase Season 4 when it's released....more info

From a Brazilian DALLASmaniac!!!!!!!!I am absolutely delighted at this dvd box-set with the third season of the greatest TV show ever. I couldnt stop watching the episodes till I reached the last one where JR is shot. For a few days all I did was to go to work, get back home and watch DALLAS. What a joy!!!
This season is trully fantastic. Wonderful storylines n wonderful acting, especially by Larry Hagman and Linda Gray. JR and Sue Ellen for ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
However, at the rate of one season a year I will be 50 when the last one comes out. Thats not fair. We need DALLAS and we need it now! 3 seasons a year, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease WB!!!! We fans cant get enough of DALLAS so we will buy it all....more info

One of my all time favorites but......Been looking forward to the release of this DVD set. One of my all time favorite TV shows. Why am I giving this only 4 stars? I was extremely disappointed to read that only Patrick Duffy & Linda Gray did commentary on 2 episodes. Where were all the other actors at? Would have BEEN much better to see Larry Hagman, Charlene Tilton, Steve Kanaly & Ken Kercheval appear & speak about episodes. ...more info

Warner Brothers: IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!It's about time that this season came out!! I can't believe that I had to wait a solid year in between Dallas DVD season releases.

This is the season which begins with the answer to what happened to John Ross III, and ends with JR's attempted murder. The commentary of Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray is very fun to hear.

In the future, I hope Warner Brother's speeds up the pace of the Dallas series, so that we don't have to wait 13 years to get the rest of the series on DVD....more info

ONE OF THE BEST SEASONS OF ONE THE BEST SOAPSDallas is hands-down the best soap ever on television. Desperate Housewives is a boring, bland show compared to the excitement Dallas offers viewers. I don't mean to knock DH, it's a good show, but compared to Dallas, it's nothing. Dallas offers everything guilty pleasure you could want. And season 3 is one of it's best seasons - the Who Shot JR finale which redefined television forever, the love triangles, the manipulation, the jealously etc - all is so engrossing and tantalizing. Collect Dallas on DVD - you will love it guaranteed and you will watch it over and over b/c you just can't get enough - I promise!...more info

Who Could Forget March 21, 1980 -- The Day J.R. "Got His"?!The fine folks at Warner Home Video released "Dallas: The Complete Third Season", a 5-Disc collection of DVDs, on August 9th, 2005. This set contains all 25 "Dallas" episodes from the 1979-1980 season (which marked the second full season for the series, following the 5-episode "Mini-Series" that aired in April of 1978).

Disc 5 of this very pleasant DVD boxed set contains THE biggest cliffhanger in television history, which is episode #25 of this third season ("A House Divided"). J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) crumples to the floor in his office building after being struck with multiple bullets that were fired by an unknown assailant. But....who pulled that trigger? Who shot J.R.? That was the big question during the summer of 1980 after J.R. got plugged. We'd have to wait until November 21, 1980, to find out the answer to that inquiry which took the nation by storm that summer and fall. The wait for the cliffhanger's resolution was even longer than normal, extending the suspense still more, when an actors' strike in Hollywood delayed the beginning of the 1980-'81 TV season.

A/V TALK --- Video and audio quality for this collection of Dallas episodes would rank in the "above average" range, IMHO. These shows look and sound darn good to me, in fact. Colors look quite natural, while the audio comes through clean and clear.

There's a bit of grain and fuzziness during some parts of some episodes (especially during the opening and closing credits), but overall I'm very happy with the way these shows look here. .... The screen ratio is the original TV ratio of 1.33:1 (Full Frame); while the audio has been encoded with care in Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono (English only).

These 25 episodes appear to me to be the full-length versions, except for the end-of-episode "Coming Up Next Week" trailer clips, which have been omitted here, just like they were on the 'Seasons 1 & 2' set. But the "previews" shown before each show are intact here. Running time per episode = approx. 48 to 49 minutes.

Chapter breaks are included for all episodes. There are 6 Chapter Stops per show, divided up just perfectly in all the appropriate locations. A break just after the Main Titles is included, so you can skip directly to Act One of each program.

THE PACKAGING --- I just love the image we find on the front cover of this set. It's a copy-and-paste job, sure -- but it looks great IMO -- with J.R. beaming with sinister glee (like he always does before pulling the rug out from under some poor, unsuspecting sucker in a fixed business deal). And then we've got a dandy pic of Sue Ellen, whose expression here conveys perfectly what her character was all about. Her smile here exhibits just the right blend of sleaziness and contempt, which were two of the oft-seen parts within the mixed bag of emotions that Linda Gray brought to the role of Sue Ellen throughout the long run of "Dallas". And she did it with such style and grace too. Gotta love that "S'Ellen"! Fantastic cover design!

This "Dallas Season 3" set comes in a slimmer package than the first (Seasons 1 & 2) set. Same number of discs in each of those sets (5), but the S.3 package contains fewer flaps and panels within the nicely-done Digipak case. This due to the fact that four of the five discs are arranged in "overlapping" disc trays. A lot of collectors hate this overlapping design with a passion; but I think it looks pretty good actually, and reduces the amount of space required to completely unfold this type of packaging.

These hubs/trays are fairly nice -- not holding the discs too tightly. So the discs can be freed without too much risk of physical pain and/or disc-bending resulting.

When all Dallas #3 discs are removed, a nice picture of the Dallas skyline is revealed on the case underneath (similar to the previous 'Dallas 1 & 2' set).

Four of the five discs are double-sided, with episodes on both sides of Discs #1 through 4, while Disc 5 contains just the last episode of the season ("A House Divided") plus a bonus "Dallas" documentary.

Normally, dual-sided discs are kind of hard to read, because there's no labels on them (only tiny writing on the inner ring of the discs to identify the side numbers). But with this DVD set, Warner Bros. has done a clever thing IMO (some people might disagree, but I think it's a much better way of labelling double-sided DVDs) -- they've placed writing on just Side A of each dual-sided disc, with the "B" side left totally void of printing/labelling.

In my opinion, this one-sided labelling is much nicer and user-friendly, because it's obvious which side is Side A or B by just glancing to see if there's any writing on the disc. There's no need to read the writing at all -- if you see any writing, it's Side A. No writing = Side B. Good idea. No eye strain to read the itty-bitty "A" and "B".

I'd much prefer single-sided DVDs for all releases. But if we have to have double-sided ones, the ONE-sided labelling procedure is a good method of identifying the side numbers, in my view.

Since Disc #5 of this set is only single-sided, it would have been nice (IMHO) to have included some disc artwork for that platter, but none is included (I guess in an effort to make all five discs look the same). And since that disc contains just one episode, which is the big hullabaloo-creating cliffhanger, it would have been a nifty touch by Warner Bros. if perhaps they had put on that disc a picture of J.R. lying wounded on the floor after receiving his "just deserts". But, oh well, ya can't have every little trivial thing I guess. :-)

EXTRAS --- As far as bonus DVD materials, there's a 20-minute "Who Shot J.R.?" documentary on Disc 5 of this third-season set, which was quite good (although I wish it was a bit lengthier; precise run time is 19:53). Copyright date for this bonus is 2005.

Cast members Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy, Charlene Tilton, Linda Gray, plus series creator David Jacobs give new filmed interviews and talk about the unbelievable "Who Shot J.R.?" phenomenon that swept America (and the world) in 1980. Various "Dallas" episode clips are seen throughout this piece.

The featurette opens with a clever "Main Title" sequence, which inserts present-day pictures of those participating in this program into actual "Dallas" opening-credits footage.

I would have enjoyed seeing some of the behind-the-camera stuff that was filmed (which I assume still exists in some Hollywood vault someplace) showing various outtakes and goings-on on the Dallas set during the making of the classic cliffhanger episode ("A House Divided"). I recall seeing that behind-the-scenes footage on some "magazine"-type program in 1980 prior to the opening of the '80-'81 TV season. Unfortunately, though, none of that footage is included in this DVD documentary.

Plus, there are Audio Commentaries provided by stars Linda Gray and Patrick Duffy for two episodes ("Sue Ellen's Choice" and "A House Divided"). Some fun and interesting tidbits of info can be gleaned by listening to the two Commentary Tracks. I also like the way these audio tracks were recorded -- in 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo, with Linda's voice dominating one speaker, while Patrick's comments predominantly fill up the other front speaker. Nice stereo effect.

BOOKLET --- Unlike Dallas 1 & 2, the third-season package includes a multi-page (fold-out style) booklet with episode information for the twenty-five programs included in the set. This booklet includes some nice photos too, including a really outstanding publicity still of Sue Ellen and sister Kristin in front of the Southfork main house. The cover of the booklet has a picture of a wounded and crumpling J.R. Ewing after he's been filled with hot lead. Nicely done.

MENUS --- The "Dallas Season 3" Menu design is the same as the first Dallas DVD release. Upon initial disc load-up, the familiar and rousing opening theme music is played (and will repeat until a Menu selection is made).

All Menus feature "static" (non-animated) images, with the Main Menu offering up a good-looking group photo of the Ewing clan, which is the same picture that can be found on two of the fold-out panels of the inner packaging for this boxed set.

These Menus are "anamorphic" in nature. I can't quite understand, though, why Menus for a Full-Frame (1.33:1 ratio) TV show like this would be anamorphically-encoded when the programming contained on the discs is not in anamorphic widescreen? Many Full-Frame DVDs are like this however; certainly not just this one. Oh, well. Just another trivial matter that's of little consequence in the long run. It's just something that doesn't seem to be necessary, IMO.

"PLAY ALL"? --- Yes. A "Play All Episodes" option is located on all discs in this set. It's labelled simply "Play" on the Main Menu screen. It cannot be accessed via the "Episodes" Sub-Menu however.

SUBTITLES? --- Yes indeed. English, French, and Spanish subtitles can be accessed for all episodes.

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Closing Props.......

Dallas fans, as it says on the back cover of this DVD box -- "This is the one". .... That, indeed, it is. A very good collection of top-notch "Dallas" dramas, complete with large doses of backstabbing, boozing, and bickering. Plus, of course, that whale of a season finale, when J.R. finally "gets his" (in the shape of a couple of well-placed bullets). What more could anybody want?...more info

Another bulls eye from Warner BrosWatching the third season of Dallas on DVD, I was struck at how good the writing was for this season. When you watch the early episodes, with the introduction of Kristen and Alan Beam, you realize the writers were weaving together an engrossing tale. So, by the time that shot is fired at J.R., everything comes together.

The season itself is extremely entertaining, from Pam and Bobby's troubled marriage, to Cliff's ill-fated run for office, to Miss Ellie facing a personal struggle, and of course, the marriage from hell between J.R. and Sue Ellen. Forget Carlos and Gabrielle on Desperate Housewives, J.R. and Sue Ellen defined "dysfunctional marriage" 20 years ago. Like a previous reviewer wrote, it's a shame that both Larry Hagman and particularly Linda Gray were not awarded Emmys for their performances; they're simply brilliant. Nobody could play sexy, heartbreak, conniving and vulnerability like Linda Gray could. She's completely watchable, from her affairs with Cliff and Dusty to her put downs on J.R., and her evolution from stone cold child bearer to loving mother is completely believeable and moving. The rest of the cast is great as well, although I always thought Charlene Tilton, aside from a few episodes throughout the seasons, was the weak link in the cast.

If you loved Dallas, you will enjoy this collection. Aside from the occasional outfit and hairstyle, the show is still as edgy and entertaining as it was years ago. ...more info

OOH! JR I'M GOING TO JUST LOVE LIVING AT SOUTHFORK!!!First let me say it should "not" have taken a year to release the third season of this fantastic Primetime Soap!!! Hell, I finished watching the 1st and 2nd seasons in less than a week, so needless to say I was ready for the next season pronto!!!

Naturally, I had to have the third season dvd set in my hands the day it was released and popped the first disc in immediately! Ah, what a wonderful journey back to the rich indulgences of Dallas and all it's colorful characters. I especially enjoyed the antics of JR Ewing, starting with his toxic marriage to Sue Ellen,the tacky affair with Kristin( I cringed everytime she said "Uncle Jock",considering he was not!), the shady business deals, and the neverending desire to break up Pam and Bobby!
There were also some really touching stories between Jock and Miss Ellie. It's a shame Jim Davis' time on the show was cut too short. This was definately one of the best seasons of the series, which led up to the shooting of JR! It's amazing how the writers did such an excellent job weaving together all the storylines for the season cliffhanger. PRIMETIME TV WILL NEVER BE THIS GOOD AGAIN!!! I'm having major Dallas withdrawals already, so Warner Bros don't take too long to release Dallas Season 4!!!!!...more info

A must own DVDFinally, Dallas Season 3 has arrived on DVD and it is a pleasure to own. This is the season where everything started to fall in to place ... and you can definitely feel the shift in pace from the pilot and first season DVD. Dont get me wrong, the first DVD is still a treat to watch, but it is patchy in parts, whereas this new season brings high quality episodes again and again. Larry Hagman is simply brilliant as his role of JR continues to evolve just as the other characters do. We also see the pain that plagues Bobby and Pam as they come to the realisation they will never have children. And who can forget the late Barbara Bel Geddes as the ever loving Ms Elley? Barbara brought 100% class to this show.

As another reviewer stated, this season wasn't really the season that the world anticipated ... it was actually the next season because people were desperate to learn the killer's identity. Still, this season has plenty of action in the build up to JR being shot - everyone hated him and you were left wondering who could have done it. This season was the very first soap to introduce a cliffhanger which captured the world. But interesting to note, the JR cliffhanger was not the originally intended cliffhanger for this season. Extra episodes were produced because of the show's incredible popularity, so there was a last minute decision not to go with the original cliffhanger of Jock being put on trial for murder (about four episodes before JR got shot).

DVD FEATURES: The episodes have had some clean-up done, but alot of dirt and softness in still evident - but considering the age it has to be expected. There are two episodes with commentary from Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray. The documentary "Who Shot JR Phenomenon" is a fantastic 20 minute presentation starring Patrick, Larry, Linda and Charlene reliving the magic and mayham of this cliffhanger, and how it affected their lives. Pure gold.

COMMENT ABOUT WARNER BROS: It is unfortunate that Warner Bros are so slow to release Dallas seasons on DVD. It has taken them a year to release this latest season, and according to reports, this is what will happen with the next installment (August 2006). Technology is rapidly moving, and I think Warner Bros should reconsider. DVD technology will be replaced before we know it. With 9 seasons all up, it would be great to release them all now (please!) thank you. ...more info

That OTHER Texan that everyone loves to hate!"Dallas's" place in television history is cemented and Larry Hagman's "J.R. Ewing" ranks as one of the medium's most despicable yet captivating characters. That said, the third season (actually the SECOND full one) has more to tout than Mary Martin's son and the cliffhanger-to-end-all-cliffhangers, "A House Divided".

This is the season that introduced Mary Crosby's wickedly alluring "Kristen Sheppard". The role had been originated by Coleen Camp in two earlier episodes but Bing's daughter made it her own, assuring her place in the annuls of television crime with an episode that would premiere in the following season. Also on hand is Martha Stewart as Sue Ellen's mother. Stewart had a lengthy Hollywood career and is best remembered for her motherly roles, having played Charlton Heston's mom twice in both The Ten Commandments and Ben-Hur.

This is also the year that Gary Shackleford took over as "Gary Ewing," the estranged son that would later be the star of the "Dallas" spinoff "Knots Landing," also starring Joan Van Ark ("Valene Ewing").

"Dallas" also featured a variety of supporting players, culled from some longstanding character actors, that added to the success of the series. Dennis Patrick ("Vaughn Leland"), George Petrie ("Harve Smithfield"), veteran Morgan Woodard ("Punk Anderson"), movie legend Keenan Wynn ("Digger Barnes") and even Marlon Brando's sister Jocelyn ("Mrs. Reeves") are colorful additions to the "Dallas" gallery.

In addition, season three introduced Jared Martin as "Dusty Farlow," the true love of Sue Ellen's life, as well as the fictional son of future cast member Howard Keel.

"Dallas" also continued its occasional jab at contemporary and provocative issues, especially with the two-parter "Mastectomy," featuring bravura work from Barbara Bel Geddes, as "Miss Ellie" copes with the emotional and physical aftermath of the surgery, and Jim Davis's "Jock Ewing" having to make his wife feel that she is still the woman that he fell for forty years earlier.

But, more than anything, this is the season wherein Linda Gray ("Sue Ellen") emerged as one of television's best actresses. She ran the gamut of emotions as the much-maligned wife of the lecherous J.R., showing both supreme strength and extreme vulnerability.

It is a shame that neither she or Hagman ever received the coveted Emmy for their efforts.

The DVD compilitation features two episodes with interesting commentary by Duffy and Gray.

The only downside is the double-sided disc format. This seems like episodes "on the cheap" and a show of this stature deserves better....more info

One of the best season everDallas third season is the best because you see how Jr really treated his wife. And plus he gets shot at the season final when you know shot him that was the best left you hanging even if you know who did it. And the truth about Jr. baby and his wife and her affir with Cliff....more info